Discover the first book in María Luisa Retana’s brand new medieval trilogy.

Mrs. Retana and illustrator Mrs. Rhoads have been researching medieval times for years and even visited and lived in Castello di Bibbione, a medieval castle, in the heart of Tuscany, Italy.


The castle was originally built in A.D. 997 and through the centuries many architectural transformations have taken place, and many noble families have lived there. In 1511 Castello di Bibbione was bought by the writer Niccolo Machiavelli and became his summer hunting lodge. In this breathtaking place, Mrs. Rhoads sketched the various parts and structure of the castle for the trilogy. Mrs. Retana let her imagination soar while picturing herself living in this castle at the beginning of the 1300s.

Begin an exciting adventure that follows the trilogy’s main characters.

Tom and Jorge travel through time to the medieval era, when “peasants struggled for daily survival,
Lords ruled the land, and magic helped to even the score.” Readers will learn real details of everyday life in the castle through sights, smells and sounds presented in the dialog and illustrations. The book, while incorporating delightful fantasy, gives reader’s minds clues for questions about future study as well.

Featuring real people playing medieval characters

Playing different characters in the trilogy, Mrs. Retana’s and Mrs. Rhoads’ family and friends have gracefully agreed to join in on the fun in this historical fiction. Their likenesses are added throughout the illustrations. Even the domestic animals that the reader will find throughout the adventure are real animals that have modeled for Mrs. Rhoads alongside the people.